Golf swing practice device



Jan. 30, 1968 A. L. MURRAY 3,366,389

GOLF SWING PRACTICE DEVICE Filed Sept. 5, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 50 A A A A A AA A A AA A A A A A 1 F/G.Z ARCH/E LEE MURRAY ATTORNEYS Jan. 30, 1968 MURRAY 3,366,389

GOLF SWING PRACTICE DEVICE Filed Sept. 3, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ARCH/E LEE MURRAY ATTORNEYS Unitcd States Patent 3,366,389 GOLF SWING PRACTICE DEVICE Archie Lee Murray, 119 E. Magnolia Ave., San Antonio, Tex. 78212 Filed Sept. 3, 1965, Ser. No. 485,050 4 Claims. (Cl. 273198) This invention relates to a golf swing practice device which may be conveniently used indoors or outdoors.

It is recognized that in the game of golf the swing is all important and obviously the swing training should include the striking of a ball or simulation thereof to provide a realistic environment. Some type of tethering is desirable in order to avoid the problem of ball retrieval. A practice device which is inexpensive and readily adaptable for indoor and outdoor use is needed.

In view of the foregoing it is an object of this invention to provide a golf swing practice device which may be used indoors or outdoors equally effectively.

It is another object of this invention to provide a golf swing practice device which is inexpensive and yet quite sturdy, compact and simple in construction.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a golf swing practice device comprising a supporting block having a horizontal hole extending therethrough adjacent the top of the block with a golf ball simulating assembly supported by said block, said assembly including a rod mounted in the horizontal hole, a flexible arm secured to the end of the rod and a golf ball simulating members secured to the flexible arm and means cooperating with the block to secure the block to a suitable base.

The above and other objects will become more apparent when taken in conjunction with the following detailed description and drawings, showing by way of example a preferred embodiment of this invention and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the golf swing practice device of this invention as mounted on a mat for indoor FIG. 2 is an elevational view partly in section of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the device as it is used outdoors;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the device of FIG. 3, and

FIG. 5 is an end view of the device of FIG. 3.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the golf swing practice device comprises a supporting block 12 which is in the form of a rectangular solid and has a horizontal hole 14 extending therethrough adjacent its top 16. A golf ball simulating assembly 18 is supported by the supporting block 12. The assembly 18 comprises a rod 20 to which is secured a flexible arm 22 in turn mounting a golf ball simulating member 24. It should be noted that in this particular embodiment the golf ball simulating member 24 is concave with the concavity facing away from the surface 26 which is struck by the golf club head. The other extremity 28 of rod 20 is threaded to receive a wing nut 30.

The golf ball simulating assembly 18 is mounted on the supporting block 12 by passing the rod 20 through hole 14 until the annular bearing portion 32 abuts face 34 of the supporting block 12. Then a washer 36 is passed over the threaded end of the rod and the wing nut 30 is threadedly mounted therein to complete the securing of the assembly 18 to the block 12.

In order to provide means for retaining the supporting block 12 and assembly 18 in position for use, a pair of vertical holes 40 straddling the horizontal hole 14 are formed in and through the block 12. A U-shaped stake "ice 42 is sized to fit down through these vertical holes 40 with the closed end 44 of the U being spaced from the upper surface 16 of the block 12.

The golf swing practice device as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 is adapted for indoor use and thus includes a mat 50 to which the block 12 is secured. The mat 50 may have suction cups 52 on its bottom surface to hold it in position on a floor or similar surface. On the upper surface of the mat 50 means are provided for receiving the block 12. These means include a raised rectangular flange 54 sized to receive the bottom end portion of block 12 and a pair of spaced resilient annular locking protuberances 56 aligned with the holes 40 in the block 12. The end portions 58 of the stake 42 each have a raised annular bead 60 to act as locking means in the annular locking protuberances 56 as best illustrated in FIG. 2.

As is now obvious, the block 12 is secured to the mat 50 by passing stake 42 downwardly through holes 40 so that the closed end 44 of the stake is at the top of the block and the beads 60 on the end portions 58 of stake 42 fit down into locking protuberances 56 in the mat 50. It should be noted that the line formed by connecting the two protuberances is generally parallel to the line of swing of the golf club head. The surface of the mat beneath golf ball simulating member 24 may be provided with small upwardly extending cone-shaped projections to simulate grass.

In FIGS. 3-5 the device of this invention is shown as it is used in the outdoors wherein the end portions 58 of stake 42 are faced down into the ground to secure the supporting block 12 in position. The action of the golf club head and the movement of the golf ball simulating member 24 is best shown in FIGS. 35. Upon being struck by the club head the golf ball simulating member 24 is flexed to the position illustrated in FIG. 3 in solid lines by virtue of the flexibility of flexible arm 22. The flexible arm 22 returns the ball simulating member 24 to the atrest position depicted in dotted lines.

Consideration of this invention and its adaptability for use indoors and outdoors combined with its simplicity and sturdiness indicates a substantial contribution to the art in this field.

What is claimed is:

1. A golf swing practice device comprising a supporting block in the form of a rectangular solid, said block having a hole extending horizontally therethrough adjacent the upper portion thereof, a golf ball simulating assembly supported by said block, said assembly including a rod, a golf ball simulating member, a flexible arm secured to said golf ball simulating member at one end and to the rod at the other end, said rod fitting in and extending through the horizontal hole in said block, an enlargement on said rod adjacent its point of connection with said arm and abutting the outer surface of said block, the portion of the rod extending through said hole being threaded, a wing nut threadedly mounted on said threaded portion to secure the golf ball simulating assembly to the supporting block, said block having a pair of vertical holes straddling the horizontal hole and extending completely through the block, a U-shaped stake having its legs fitting in and extending through said vertical holes with its closed end at the top of the supporting block, the length of said legs being such that the ends thereof project through the supporting block when said closed end is spaced above the upper surface of said block and said ends may fit into a suitable base and secure the device in operating position.

2. The invention as described in claim 1 including a base comprising a relatively flat mat having means there- 3 on to engage the lower end portions of the stake and secure the supporting block to the mat.

3. The invention as set forth in claim 2 and wherein the lower end portions of said legs have a raised portion thereon and the means on the mat to engage said lower end portions comprise resilient annular members integral with the mat.

4. The invention as described in claim 1 and wherein the flexible arm and golf ball simulating member are unitary.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner.

G. I. MARLO, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A GOLF SWING PRACTICE DEVICE COMPRISING A SUPPORTING BLOCK IN THE FORM OF A RECTANGULAR SOLID, SAID BLOCK HAVING A HOLE EXTENDING HORIZONTALLY THERETHROUGH ADJACENT THE UPPER PORTION THEREOF, A GOLF BALL SIMULATING ASSEMBLY SUPPORTED BY SAID BLOCK, SAID ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A ROD, A GOLF BALL SIMULATING MEMBER, A FLEXIBLE ARM SECURED TO SAID GOLF BALL SIMULATING MEMBER AT ONE END AND TO THE ROD AT THE OTHER END, SAID ROD FITTING IN SAID EXTENDING THROUGH THE HORIZONTAL HOLE IN SAID BLOCK, AN ENLARGEMENT ON SAID ROD ADJACENT ITS POINT OF CONNECTION WITH SAID ARM AND ABUTTING THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID BLOCK, THE PORTION OF THE ROD EXTENDING THROUGH SAID HOLE BEING THREADED, A WING NUT THREADEDLY MOUNTED ON SAID THREADED PORTION TO SECURE THE GOLF BALL SIMULATING ASSEMBLY TO THE SUPPORTING BLOCK, SAID BLOCK HAVING A PAIR OF VERTICAL HOLES STRADDLING THE HORIZONTAL HOLE AND EXTENDING COMPLETELY THROUGH THE BLOCK, A U-SHAPED STAKE HAVING ITS LEGS FITTING IN AND EXTENDING THROUGH SAID VERTICAL HOLES WITH ITS CLOSED END AT THE TOP OF THE SUPPORTING BLOCK, THE LENGTH OF SAID LEGS BEING SUCH THAT THE ENDS THEREOF PROJECT THROUGH THE SUPPORTING BLOCK WHEN SAID CLOSED END IS SPACED ABOVE THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID BLOCK AND SAID ENDS MAY FIT INTO A SUITABLE BASE AND SECURE THE DEVICE IN OPERATING POSITION. 